Promises, promises.

Dean knew it wasn't working with Lisa. It wasn't her fault. She was everything he wanted her to be, she couldn't have been more perfect for him. And the kid; the kid was all kinds of awesome but he deserved someone who was truly there in mind, body and soul. They both did and Dean wasn't that person, wasn't even close. How could he be there with them when he was always constantly somewhere else? He knew it and he knew Lisa knew it too.

Maybe if things had have been different. Maybe if Sam hadn't have gone through with this crazy idea and maybe if he hadn't have let him it could have worked. They could have been that happy family Sam wanted for him. Bobby's words always ran through his head though; what had he really been scared about? Losing or losing his brother? The answer came too quickly now, the truth, was losing his brother. This had always been his worst fear. And now here he was living and breathing it and it was a whole different kind of hell. Nothing could compare. Not even the end of the world. Not even his own experiences in hell. Nothing.

But he had made a promise. A promise he was determined to keep. Yet right now, only months after he watched Sam fall into that damn hole that promise was wearing thin. What was more important? Keeping a promise while knowing damn well what his brother was going through or screwing the promise right where the sun don't shine and saving his brother from what he was going through? He knew the answer to that. There was no doubt whatsoever.

Sam would be pissed, sure, but Dean could live with that….again. What he couldn't live with was Sam in a cage in hell for all eternity. It was amazing he even lasted this long. And once he got him out of there, that was going to be his lame excuse. Sam could take it or leave it but at least he would be out and safe and exactly back where he belonged, right next to his brother in the passenger seat of the Impala.

Lisa's look of terror when he told her of his plan almost made him regret speaking the words. She shouldn't have to know this stuff. The pang of guilt that ripped through his gut for dragging her into his mess in the first place just added to the rest of the guilt that sat heavily within him but it almost felt normal. Nothing new, but just there, growing bigger and bigger with every passing day. He was used to it though and it didn't hurt too much anymore.

Her worry didn't stem from knowing he wasn't coming back even though this made her heart break. Her worry was the same as Sam's would have been, that he may fail and end up hurt or….worse. That playing with something this big was too big and surely something not one man could beat.

'I'll find a way.' He said definitely almost allowing her to believe it. 'Say good bye to the kid for me?'

She nodded. If it was any other man in any other situation she would force him to tell him himself but to protect Ben, this was the right way, the only way.

'Just call me. Please? Let me know you are okay?' She pleaded so intensely that he found himself nodding.

They hugged their final hug, gave each other their last smile and shared a look that said seven words. 'If only things had have been different'.

The Impala made him feel closer to Sam. Sam made him feel closer to the Impala. He smiled as he remembered the moment Sam took hold of the devil. It was because of baby, he knew it. He saw that monster looking at the army figure and he watched as Sam came through. At least that was one thing he did right. At least he got to see his brother one last time before…

Time for some hard and loud tunes. God, Sam would have yelled at him to turn it down by now and even though he wished for that beyond anything, he kept the volume up and tried hard to wrack his brain for a plan. He had nothing. He needed something. But he had nothing and nothing wasn't going to get Sam out.

As he drove closer to the cemetery the feeling of dread and loss and pain nearly knocked him out. Could he go back there? Could he actually do it? And once he was there, what was he going to do? He turned down the stereo and pulled over to the side of the road. A dead, isolated dirt road out in the middle of nowhere. For the first time in a long time he felt at home.

'Cas…' was all he whispered as he considered. He hadn't seen him since that day. Had often thought about him, but never had he tried to contact him. Surely though if anyone could help him, it would be Cas.

'Yes?' Cas said with one of those sympathetic smiles as he appeared next to him in Sam's seat.

'Jesus.' Dean's heart beat faster than he could remember. He wasn't used to this anymore.

'You called?'

"Not really. I just said your name.'

'You called.' Cas said more definitely.

Dean squinted and then shrugged guessing you couldn't hide much from an Angel.

'I need your help.'

'To get Sam out of the pit?'

'What else?'

"I'm not sure.'

'No. I mean, yes, I need your help getting Sam out of the pit.' He even noticed his gruff, fast, frustrated voice returning himself. Cas mixed with this kind of stuff just brought it out in him but at least it made him feel like he was doing something… and man, it was good to see this Angel again.

'Dean –'

'Can you help me or not?' he said instead of telling Cas this.

'You don't need me to do that.'

'Then what do I need?'

After a bit of a silence and a push from Dean, Cas finally spoke, 'I don't know how to tell you this.'

'Tell me what?' Dean frowned, adrenalin shooting through his body. "Tell me what Cas?'

A sidewards glance to the side window from his Angel friend was enough to get Dean's blood to boil. What the hell? 'Cas?'

Cas looked back at him with a concerned frown. "It's Sam.'

'What about Sam?'

'He's…..not there.'

If ever Dean had felt like a brick had hit him, it was then. Almost speechless, he forced himself to speak, 'What?'

'He's not there.' Cas stupidly repeated.

'Then where the hell is he?'

'Here. On Earth. He has been for months.'

Okay now he was officially speechless. Looking from Cas to the steering wheel to the hole in his faded jeans didn't help him. Looking back at Cas didn't allow any words to flow. His mind was blank, his body numb. This wasn't making sense, yet he just could not feel.

'I know it must be a shock.' Cas waited for something from Dean. It worried him that he was not responding. 'We think he didn't want you to know so you could live your life with Lisa and have a chance at happiness.'

'Happiness?' Dean screeched all of his feelings now rushing up on him. 'Are you freaking serious? No seriously, are you serious? Sam is out? And no one told me?'

'I'm sorry. '

'Where is he? Goddamn Cas you tell me where he is! Now!'

'Bobby's. He's at Bobby's.'

Oh my God! Bobby knew this too! What the hell? Half of him didn't believe Cas but the furious side that wanted to, took complete control and turned the ignition, burned rubber onto the road and did a crazy u – turn. 'I'm going to kill him. I am going to KILL HIM!"

Cas thought about laughing at the irony before forcing himself to worry if Dean was actually serious. If Dean killed Sam, then they would be right back where they were only seconds ago, with Dean wanting his help to bring Sam back. Why would he bother with all that?

'Cas, not literally.' Dean said knowing exactly what Cas was thinking. Stupid Angel; always with the literal. 'I need you to concentrate here. Tell me everything.. Don't leave anything out.'

'He escaped.'

'How?' Dean was amazed that this was Castiel's definition of not leaving anything out.

'We are not sure.'

'What do you mean you are not sure? Surely you must know. What does Bobby think?'

'He has been looking into it.'

'And….?'

'Dean you need to calm down.' Cas tried hearing the panic in his friend's voice.

"Don't tell me to calm down! You are telling me that my brother is alive and walking around at Bobby's and I am the last to know! How do you expect me to react?' Shaking his head, he made a decision, 'You know what, screw it..' Once again he pulled over the Impala but this time he got out, slamming the door behind him. Cas followed suit and watched him move over to him. 'Do your thing. Get us to Bobby's. Now!'

'You think that is a good idea? I mean…'

'Cas. Do it. Don't mess with me on this.'

Without another word, Cas moved his two fingers to Dean's forehead. They were outside Bobby's house within an instant. Cas had chosen this spot so he could try to settle Dean down before he went inside but he should have known Dean would just take off and burst right through Bobby's front door. Not literally.

Dean wasn't prepared to see Bobby and Sam sitting at Bobby's table with a new lap top and countless amounts of books open. And Bobby and Sam sure as hell was not prepared to see Dean.

'Dean….' Sam tried as he slowly stood up but not knowing what more to say.

It was really Sam. Sam was alive and well…..and here, right in front of him. His brother was not trapped and being ripped apart and tortured in hell. Just at Bobby's house looking as normal as he did this time last year.

Dean didn't know whether to laugh or cry or throw punches but instead of any of those, he simply rushed over to his brother and wrapped his arms around him. Sam responded with the same. He didn't expect the whack across the head he received from his older brother but on reflection thought he should have. "I'm sorry. I just wanted normal for you.' He said, knowing how that would sound.

Dean pulled away and said firmly, "You are my normal Sam. You.'

Before Sam could reply, Dean had pulled him in for another hug just so grateful he wasn't suffering in the worst place possible. It struck him finally though that something was digging into his chest. The next time Dean pulled away, he noticed what it was.

'Oh my God.' The amulet. Sam was wearing his amulet. The amulet he had been pining for all these months.

Sam gave him a weak smile but said nothing.

'We think it could have helped getting Sam out.' Bobby said, still touched by the reunion.

'How?' Cas asked confused, not aware of this new finding.

'We aren't sure. We are pulling at straws here. Sam doesn't remember, but we are exhausting all avenues and so far this seems the most likely.'

Cas frowned. 'God?'

'Maybe?' Sam said without much conviction. 'We just don't know.'

'I could kill you, you know that?' Dean said not really concerned just yet about the why, or the how. 'You too.' He added to Bobby. 'Hell, all of you.' His anger was building again. 'You didn't think I had the right to know? I thought you were in hell Sam! Hell. All this time and it turns out you weren't?'

'I know but I saw you with Lisa and Ben and you looked happy, like you were right there living the life you wanted. How could I mess with that?'

'Easily! You just do.' He shook his head, "Man, you just don't get it do you?'

'I do. You just deserve more than this, more than looking out for me. I wanted you to do something for yourself for once.'

'You want me to be okay?'

'Yes.'

'Then telling me you are back and okay would be me being okay!'

'I know but…'

'No, there are no buts…what you saw, it wasn't me being okay, it wasn't me living the life I wanted. Maybe if I knew you were out it could have been but me thinking you were stuck down there is not being me okay!' he screamed.

'Okay, well now you know I am out and fine so you can just go right back there and get out of this life and into the one you want.' Sam said giving that flippant shrug Dean hated so much. 'Invite me over for a barbeque.'

'Sam -' the warning in his voice even took him back.

'Dean, I am serious.'

'So am I!'

"Look you said yourself you have to let me grow up and grow up yourself. Well this is the way.'

'I've changed my mind. That was a stupid freaking idea and nothing good comes from it.'

'Except Lisa and Ben.'

"They are better off without me. You are not. So sorry Sammy, you are stuck with me. Deal with it.'

With a large sigh, Sam looked at Bobby who just shrugged. Cas knowing Sam was flogging a dead horse disappeared and Dean knowing what he wanted held his ground determined, staring at his little brother. Screw this equality crap, he was putting his foot down on this.

"So what now?" Sam said knowing that look in Dean's eyes full well. He wasn't budging.

'Now we find out what the hell.' Dean answered finally calm…..and ready.

'Anyone feeling a bit of de ja vu?" Bobby asked, 'Let the games begin all over again.'